Our Story
THE MANTUA POTATO FESTIVAL IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. THE FESTIVAL WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1938 BUT WAS THEN DISCONTINUED DURING WORLD WAR II. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO BRING POSITIVITY BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, THE POTATO FESTIVAL WAS RE-ESTABLISHED IN 1973. THE EVENT HAS BROUGHT THE VILLAGE TOGETHER FOR MORE THAN 48 YEARS AND CONTINUES TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL AGES.
IN THE PAST, THE POTATO FESTIVAL HAS ALWAYS ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE IN SIZE AND POPULARITY IN UNIQUE WAYS. ONE OF THESE WAYS WAS TO BEAT A WORLD RECORD FOR THE LARGEST SINGLE SERVING OF MASHED POTATOES. IN 1980, THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY BROKE THE RECORD WITH A WHOPPING 10,028 POUNDS OF MASHED POTATOES! BUT THAT WAS 38 YEARS AGO!
IN 2014, THE RIVERS CASINO IN PITTSBURGH, PA BROKE THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS FOR THE LARGEST PIEROGI WITH A GIANT 123 POUND DUMPLING. IN EFFORT TO CONTINUE THE TREND OF EXCITEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE POTATO FESTIVAL ATTEMPTED TO BEAT YET ANOTHER WORLD RECORD DURING THE 44TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL.
ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2017, THE COMMITTEE (ALONG WITH COOKS AND STAFF FROM THE CRESTWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT) BEAT THE WORLD RECORD WITH A COLOSSAL 200 POUND PIEROGI!!
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY, THEY WANT TO EXPRESS OUR EXTREME GRATITUDE TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO HELPED FOR SUCH AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT. THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS TASK WITHOUT THE EFFORTS OF THOSE INVOLVED.
HOWEVER, AFTER COMPLETING THIS AMAZING ACCOMPLISH, IT CAME TO THE COMMITTEE THAT THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND A GROUP OF CULINARY STUDENTS BEAT OUR NEW RECORD. TO REGAIN THE TITLE OF THE WORLDS LARGEST PIEROGI, THE COMMITTEE WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO BEAT THE WORLD RECORD TWO YEARS IN A ROW! PLEASE COME OUT TO THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR TO WITNESS ANOTHER GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT!